FBS (1A) College Football Playoffs Predictions

Having just witnessed Texas getting "screwed" and left out of the Big 12 title game by being jumped in the BCS Standings by an Oklahoma team that they beat head-to-head brought an interesting "what-if." What if the FBS (former Division 1A) employed the same type of 16 team playoff enjoyed at the FCS (former Division 1AA) level?

Let's use the same rules as the FCS uses to set-up a 16 team playoff on the FBS level. Each conference champion (there are 11 FBS conferences) receives an automatic bid to the playoff. This allows even the lowly Sun Belt their day on the big stage (much like in the NCAA Basektball tourney). The other 5 teams in the playoff at the 5 best non-champions as rated by the BCS Standings. In determining first round match-ups, schools from the same conference cannot be matched. All games except the title game are played at the homefield of the higher ranked school.

At this point, not all conference champions are determined, but here's a list of the potential playoff participants:

Automatic Bids
ACC - Boston College or Virginia Tech
Big East - Cincinnati
Big Ten - Penn State
Big 12 - Oklahoma or Missouri
Conference USA - East Carolina or Tulsa
MAC - Ball State or Buffalo
Mountain West - Utah
Pac 10 - USC or Oregon State
SEC - Alabama or Florida
Sun Belt - Troy, Arkansas State, or UL-Lafayette
WAC - Boise State

At-Large
1. Alabama/Florida loser
2. Texas
3. Texas Tech
4. Ohio State
5. TCU

Note that if USC loses to UCLA, then USC would take an at-large spot and if Oklahoma loses to Missouri, then Oklahoma would take an at-large berth.

Assuming that Alabama beats Florida, Boston College beats Virginia Tech, Tulsa beats East Carolina, Oklahoma beats Missouri, Ball State beats Buffalo, USC beats UCLA, and Troy wins the Sun Belt, here are the first round match-ups:

1. Alabama vs. 16. Troy
8. Penn State vs. 9. Boise State

5. Florida vs. 12. TCU
4. USC vs. 13. Cincinnati

6. Utah vs. 11. Ball State
3. Texas vs. 14. Boston College

7. Texas Tech vs. 10. Ohio State
2. Oklahoma vs. 15. Tulsa

Some very intriguing match-ups in the first round. Both Alabama and Oklahoma draw in-state opponents. Two "BCS busters meet" in Salt Lake City. Texas Tech's high-flying offense takes on Ohio State. Penn State hosts a dangerous Boise State.

Can you imagine the fun and intrigue that would come from such a system? Not to mention the vast amounts of money from the TV deal. Unfortunately, all we can do is imagine, as the college presidents and the NCAA seem years or decades away from seeing the light and implementing such a system.